Bullying -- What It Is and Is Not Arcadia Unified School District The Governor of California has signed into law three bills (AB 9, AB 1156 and AB 620) aimed at addressing bullying in schools. In so doing, Governor Brown affirmed direction from the state and federal Departments of Education and the Office for Civil Rights that bullying in schools is unacceptable and school district personnel must now take action not only to stop it, but also make sure that it does not recur. Definitions of Bullying California Department of Education - http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/documents/bullyingatschool.pdf “A desire to hurt + hurtful action(s) + power imbalance + repetition (typically) + unjust use of power + evident enjoyment by the aggressor + sense of being oppressed on the part of the target” (page 7). Stop Bullying.gov - http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/index.html “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include: ● An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people. ● Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once” (page 1). National PTA - http://www.pta1.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PTA-Resolution-Against-Bullying.pdf “Bullying is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a target, as well as indirect behaviors such as spreading rumors and acting in other ways to cause a student to be socially isolated through intentional exclusion, with all such behaviors, direct or indirect, amounting to physical or psychological intimidation occurring repeatedly over time to create an ongoing pattern of harassment and abuse” AUSD’s Position Bullying is a conscious, repeated, hostile, aggressive behavior of an individual or a group abusing their position with the intent to harm others or gain real or perceived power. Whatever definition of bullying is used, all contain a similarity in that the behaviour is repeated, aggressive and intended to gain power. This includes Cyber-bullying, defined as the intentional and repeated mistreatment of others through the use of technology, such as computers, cell phones and other electronic devices. Our school-wide, Character Education programs are ongoing, proactive approaches to help our students understand bullying and how to form respectful, bully-free relationships. Arcadia students are taught to seek help when required. District school counselors are available to provide resources to staff, students and parents as needed. The following chart (on the reverse side) is provided to help assist you in determining whether you believe your child has been subjected to bullying or if they themselves have engaged in bullying behavior with, or towards, other students. March 2017

Bullying -- What It Is and Is Not Arcadia Unified School District

What Is Bullying?

What Bullying Is NOT

Any of the following aggressive behaviors are bullying if the actions are repeated, and done with the intention of gaining power.

Any of the following aggressive behaviors are NOT bullying if the actions occur once (i.e., no pattern) or done with NO intention of gaining power.

Physical Attack such as: ● Bumping into someone ● Pushing, shoving, tripping ● Hitting (directly or with something else) ● Punching or kicking ● Fighting

Physical behaviors such as: ● Accidently bumping into someone ● Making others play things a certain way (natural behavior) ● Any of the behaviors listed to the left which occurs ONCE (i.e., not a repeated pattern of behavior)

Verbal Attack – Related to a difference like: ● Racial ● Gender/transgender ● Sexual orientation ● Physical (height, weight, glasses, etc.) ● Skills ability/disability (intelligence, clumsy, awkward, etc.) ● Physical appearance (clothes, hair, etc.) ● Economic status ● Religion ● Group association ● Threats and intimidation ● Stealing or taking possessions ● Exclusion from groups/activities

Verbal Behaviors such as: ● A statement of dislike toward or about someone ● A single act of telling a joke about someone ● Arguments or heated disagreements between 2 parties that is not repeated ● Expressions of unpleasant thoughts or feelings regarding others

Non-Verbal Attack such as: ● Staring or glaring ● Actions designed to cause discomfort like visibly pretending to gossip ● Shunning another

Non-Verbal Behaviors such as: ● Being excluded ● Not playing with someone ● Choosing different people or groups to play with, or associate with from time to time

March 2017